Taste Of Home, A
by yellowhorde
Summary: Wufei, longing for a home that no longer exists, drags Duo off on an impromptu trip to China.


Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or its characters and I make no money with any of my stories. Pairings: None Category: General Warnings: None that I can think of. Ratings: PG (better safe than sorry, ne?) Title: A Taste of Home Author: yellowhorde Feel free to send any comments/constructive criticisms to me at yellowhorde@hotmail.com Notes: This was inspired by a fanfic contest. It could be any category, angst, drama, lemon, but it had to have something to do with China, and it could be no more than 1,500 words. (Which is rather hard for me.) If you don't include the disclaimers and the title, I just managed to squeeze in under the limit! Go me!  
  
A TASTE OF HOME  
  
Listlessly Wufei pushed the food on his plate around in small circles, but a heaviness weighted him down and finally, unable to pretend any longer, he pushed away his plate. He did not feel like eating. How could he on this, the anniversary of the destruction of his colony?  
  
Across the table, Duo Maxwell frowned as a chunk of chicken slipped out from between his two chopsticks and landed in his already stained lap. Glancing up he noticed that Wufei hadn't eaten a bite.  
  
"What's wrong, Wufei?" Duo asked, concerned. "You've hardly touched your food!"  
  
"It's not what I wanted."  
  
"If you didn't want it, why did you order it?" Duo demanded.  
  
Lowering his gaze to his hands that were clasped tightly in his lap, Wufei replied faintly, "I don't know."  
  
"Oh, come on now! This is the fifth Chinese restaurant you've taken me to in as many weeks! The food here is by far the best yet and here you are looking down into your plate and moping. Don't tell me nothing's wrong because it's obvious that something is."  
  
Glancing about warily the American began to discretely wipe the remains of his dinner off of his lap and onto the floor.  
  
(How could Duo possibly understand how I feel?)  
  
Wufei was silent for many long moments and when he finally spoke his voice was very low. "It's not what I was looking for, I guess."  
  
Sensing something deeper than food weighed heavily on his friend's mind, Duo carefully probed a little further.  
  
"What are you looking for, Wufei?" He asked gently.  
  
Much to his shame, Wufei felt a lump forming in his throat, and the telltale burning in his eyes that threatened tears. How weak he was! How pathetic! Somehow though he managed to force the words past his stubborn lips, but it was hard and his voice, whisper soft, trembled ever so slightly despite all of his efforts to control it.  
  
"I guess what I'm really searching for is. a taste of . home."  
  
*****  
  
Much later that evening Duo was roused from a deep sleep by an insistent knocking at his apartment door. Blearily he brought his alarm clock up to his face. The red luminous numbers proclaimed the time to be 3:45 a.m. Whoever was knocking on his door better have a damned good reason for disturbing him so late!  
  
"Come on, Maxwell!" A familiar voice called, "Open the door already!"  
  
"WUFEI?"  
  
Wearily Duo dragged himself out of his bed to answer the door. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" He called as he stumbled over a pair of shoes and almost took a nosedive into the carpet. "Hold your horses, will ya!"  
  
Duo jerked the door open and peered owlishly at his friend. Two battered duffle bags lay at his feet and much to his annoyance, Wufei was wide-eyed and bushy tailed. His face was flushed and his black eyes glittered with barely concealed excitement and for the first time in a long while he actually looked.well.happy.  
  
Smiling brightly, Wufei reached down and tossed one of the duffle bags at the astonished Duo, hitting the poor boy solidly in the gut. Fortunately, it was empty and didn't cause too much damage.  
  
"Get dressed, Maxwell! We're going to China!"  
  
****  
  
Early morning sunlight, soft and golden, was streaming into the cabin of the air shuttle when Duo settled himself into his seat after stuffing his duffel bag into the overhead compartment. The purple-eyed American felt as if sand was running through his veins instead of blood, making him feel slow, heavy, and stupid.  
  
"Okay, Wufei. We're on the plane. Now could you please tell my why you woke my up in the middle of the night and dragged me onto a shuttle heading for CHINA?"  
  
Wufei glanced over at his friend then back out the window. Slowly he began to speak, keeping his black eyes on his ghostly reflection in the glass. A faint, wistful smile curved his lips.  
  
"When I was a little boy my grandmother would let me help her make dumplings. She made the best I had ever tasted - even better than my mother!" He laughed softly. "She'd smack me upside the head for saying that aloud, but it was the truth!" Wufei's eyes sparkled as he lost himself in his memories.  
  
"I would help her kneed the flour and roll the dough into small circles. She worked so fast, making three for every one of mine, and she always managed to grab just the right amount of filling before pinching each one closed. Mine never looked or tasted as good as hers but she would always smile and thank me for helping her."  
  
Wufei shifted in his seat until he was looking at his friend, "I ate those dumplings and was always filled with a special warmth and I'd think to myself, 'This is what it's like to feel loved and cherished. THIS is the taste of home'."  
  
My colony is gone.forever. but last night I remembered that my grandmother's second youngest daughter, my father's older sister, lives in Peking so I searched for her address and phone number and called her and asked if it would be okay if I came for a short visit."  
  
Nervously Wufei ran a hand through his thick black hair that he had forgotten to pull back in its usual ponytail. "I know you probably think it's foolish to travel halfway around the world for dumplings, but." He shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the window, a slight flush on his cheeks. Duo must think he was a total lunatic!  
  
Smiling, Duo reached out and placed his hand over his friend's golden one and gave it a reassuring squeeze causing Wufei to turn back towards him. His usually stoic face registered first surprise, then gratitude that lit up his onyx eyes.  
  
"No, Wufei, I understand perfectly how you are feeling. When I lived at the Maxwell Church, Sister Helena used to make the most perfect lasagna." Duo's eyes sparkled with the memories that flowed over him, through him. "Everything was hand made, even the noodles and sauce! Nothing I've had since can even come close. I would sit at the kitchen counter and help make the salad and the air would be full of good smells- lasagna, fresh home made bread, and roses because she always kept a bouquet of fresh flowers from her garden in a vase on the table.  
  
Duo's large eyes slid closed, dark lashes brushing against his smooth cheeks as he drew a long, slow breath in through his nostrils as if he could once again detect all of those cherished scents. With a wistful sigh Duo opened his eyes and grinned at his companion. "Those moments were some of the happiest times in my life, Wufei. I was warm and safe and surrounded by good food and good people. No feeling on earth could compare to the contentment I felt."  
  
The faintest look of pain passed over Duo's heart-shaped face, no doubt he recalled that all of those happy memories were all he had left of the kind people who had taken in a poor orphaned street rat and raised him like one of their own. But it cleared away as quickly as it had appeared.  
  
"So yeah, I understand where you're coming from. And I'm pleased that you wanted to take me with you."  
  
Feeling much more relaxed than he had for quite a while, Wufei settled back in his chair with a sigh and relished the gentle warmth of the sun as it danced over his face. "I'm glad I have a friend like you who would be willing to drop everything and go traipsing off to a foreign country on such short notice!"  
  
Duo laughed quietly and lacing his hands behind his head, leaned back. "The pleasure is all mine, I'm sure!" Suddenly, he bolted upright, throwing a worried glance in the direction of his companion. "Speaking of short notices - uh- what will Une say about losing two of her best Preventor agents on an impromptu romp across the globe?"  
  
Wufei answered without opening his eyes, "Don't worry about Une." He murmured, "I called her before we lifted off and explained everything to her! We've got two weeks to kick back and relax!  
  
"Wow, you're amazing, Wufei!"  
  
"I am, aren't I?" smirked Wufei.  
  
Playfully, Duo smacked Wufei upside the head, messing up his friend's thick black hair. Wufei cast a disapproving look at him but it was casually ignored. Happily, Duo settled back and closed his eyes. It would be a long trip and he intended to spend the time catching up on lost sleep.  
  
Minutes later, both of the young men were sleeping soundly, their chests rising and falling with each easy breath. The giant ship glided silently through the deep blue skies, the first leg of a journey that would carry them down a path that would allow them to relive cherished memories.  
  
The End 


End file.
